Illusions, Ghosts?
by Wendy402
Summary: Natsume goes to a mansion to shelter from a rain storm during his vacation with his friends. He ends up solving a murder and the people he meets are really quite strange.


**Haha just a one-shot. I was working on this a looonggg time ago. This is basically copied from the anime/manga Kindaichi Case Files. I think it's episode 17 called Midsummer Nightmare Murder Case. So ya, maybe take a look at that anime but it's super old.**

* * *

Natsume was cursing as he ran through the rain.

His hands carried _heavy_ bags full of drinks Mikan, Ruka and the others 'asked' him to buy.

He cursed again.

Damn, if only he had more luck and didn't lose the card game he wouldn't be running like an idiot through a storm.

Oh, and also with 2 bags of seriously heavy drinks.

He was still cursing and grumbling when he slipped and broke his sandals.

The drinks fell everywhere on the muddy ground.

Luckily, Natsume kept his balance and didn't fall face first in the mud.

_That_ would be a disaster.

Natsume, while sighing, took off his broken sandals and slowly picked up the bottles scattered everywhere.

He was almost done when he felt his stomach ache.

Great timing.

He wanted to slap himself and jump of the cliff for the great timing his stomach gave him.

He glanced around hoping for a house or a public bathroom, the house he and his friends rented were miles away.

His grumpy face lit up a bit as he found a mansion at the bottom of the hill.

He ran down there as fast as he could.

He knocked on the door rapidly yelling things like 'open the damn door already' and 'is anyone _there_?' Finally, an older women, about 20, opened door.

The women had long black hair and stern eyes. Her eyes showed confusion when she saw Natsume, but Natsume paid no mind.

"Hey...um...I need to use the bathroom." He muttered quietly, obviously embarrassed, and pushed past her.

When he came out of the bathroom, the women's face was so close to his it gave him a jump.

"What the hell?" He growled earning him a scoff.

"What the hell? I should be saying that. We were doing an important ceremony."

Ceremony? What ceremony?

Two other girls showed up behind the long haired one.

"By the way, my name is Yuri." The long haired one said and then turned around and started walking.

Another girl, with brown hair that starts straight and at the bottom puffs up, smiled sweetly at him.

"My name is Sakurako, nice to meet you." She smiled again and walked off following Yuri.

"My name's Koume." A girl with coral colored hair introduced herself, taking a cigarette and lighting it with her right hand.

They led Natsume into a room with candles lit on the ground, making a circle.

"Well, since you barged into our mansion without asking, you have to stay until the ceremony ends, or else you'll be possessed by evil." Yuri stated calmly, pulling Natsume in place.

"W-what?" He stammered, surprised and tried to sneak away.

"Nuh uh." Yuri scolded as she dragged him back.

"Just let him go. Look, he's so pitiful." Sakurako butted in, giving sympathy to Natsume.

"What are these for?" Natsume asked out of slight curiosity.

"This is for calling the spirits of the dead." Koume answered, stepping forward.

"See those signs on the window? Those signs are for keeping spirits of animals and evil away." Sakurako added, her finger pointing the paper signs on the windows.

"If we successfully call a spirit, the fire would move even if there's no wind." Yuri joined in, watching the fire intently.

"So what _spirit_ exactly are you guys calling?" Natsume asked, not exactly believing them.

"Our coach." Yuri said, her tone saddening.

"It was a murder case that happened last year at this day, this time." That caught his attention.

"Murder?"

"The deceased was our coach, Sudo. You know, he was on a poster of a drink. All three of us had a crush on him. He was killed here, in this room. The murder is in the 3 of us." Koume started.

"How are you so sure?" Natsume asked.

"Of course, we knew that a long time ago...it's just that she wouldn't admit." Koume stated, eying the others.

"That was also the reason why we all reunited here, today. We hope to call coach's spirit and ask him who killed him."

"It was definitely not me." Yuri announced, confident.

"I didn't do it either." Sakurako said quietly, eyes brimmed with tears.

"Can you guys tell me the story? The details of that day." Natsume asked, turning dead serious.

"Sure, we can–" Koume was cut off by Yuri.

"Why should we tell _you_? We barely _know_ you." Yuri said furiously watching him closely.

"I'm a well known young 'detective.' So, can you tell me now?" Yuri pondered for a moment before she heaved a sigh.

"If your a detective, maybe you can help us. Why not?" Yuri sighed again before straightening herself out.

"Besides, there a few more minutes left until the time." Sakurako added, looking at her watch with her left hand.

"Ever since elementary school, we three were really close friends. We would do everything together, even laugh or cry. Of course, we joined the tennis club together too." Koume continued.

"We've tried calling other spirits successfully before." Yuri told Natsume.

"Once we called the parrot I had when I was young. We really heard birds chirping." Sakurako said, her face serious.

"Hear that?" Koume asked, taking a long intake of her cigarette.

Lightning crashed outside, the rain poured even harder.

"That means the spirit is making it's way here." Yuri explained, watching the windows.

"Last year, August 9th, we asked coach out on vacation. We said that there was a really big tennis field where we could do extra practice, but in reality we just wanted to clear our relationship with him."

* * *

_"Hey, who should cook coach's dinner tonight?" Koume asked on the bus to their destination._

_"Obviously me." Yuki pronounced gladly._

_"Seriously? All you know is how to fry eggs." Koume teased while Sakurako giggled. Sudo paid no attention as he watched the scenery outside._

_"So? I'll fry the best egg ever." Yuki said proudly watching Sudo closely. Both Koume and Sakurako snorted at her comment. _

_"I'll cook. I'm the best cook here." Sakurako interrupted smiling sweetly. _

_"Oh really? Of course we have to make curry. It's coach's favorite, right?" Koume remarked, looking at Sudo for an answer. _

_"Uh...? Yeah." Sudo answered absentmindedly and then flashed his charming smile. _

_When they finally got to the mansion they were going to live in for the next few days, the 3 girls split jobs and went to buy ingredients. _

_"I'll go ask some neighbors for potatoes. Ever since I was little I knew how to choose the best potatoes." Yuri announced._

_"That's right. Ever since then you were always called 'potato head.'" Koume teased._

_"What are you talking about? _Your_ a potato head." Came Yuri's comeback as she left the mansion. _

_"Who were you talking about!?" Koume asked angrily, glaring at Yuri's retreating figure._

_"Honestly, making our friendship worse..." Sakurako muttered sadly and then walking away. _

_"Hey wait for me Sakurako!" Koume yelled, following Sakurako. _

_Above them, on the second floor watching them was Sudo. _

_He gave a little smirk while watching them_

* * *

_Koume ran through the heavy rain. _

_One hand holding an umbrella and the other holding a bag of ingredients. _

_She opened the door quickly. _

_Seeing only Sodu's shoes at the doorway, she smiled a little._

_"They're not home yet." She said to herself and walked into the mansion._

* * *

_Sakurako ran through the rain._

_Yuri was kneeling a few steps away from the doorway._

_"Hey, Yuri where are your potatoes?" Sakurako asked, stopping next to her._

_"When I was going to buy them I realized I forgot my wallet." Yuri answered._

_"Oh, it's here." Yuri said taking her wallet from the ground. _

_"You're always so clumsy." Sakurako scolded._

_"How about you Sakurako? Did you buy the meat?" _

_"Of course I did." Sakurako stated matter-of-factly._

_They opened the door finding Koume frozen at the doorway of the living room. _

_Her grocery bag on the floor. _

_"Koume, what are you doing?" Sakurako asked as she walked towards her. _

_What they saw was Sudo, lying on the floor dead, with a knife buried in his chest._

* * *

"The position coach died as was very weird." Yuri said.

"Weird?" Natsume asked, listening intently.

"Yeah. His left hand held a rice paddle and his right hand was holding an egg." Yuri drew it on a piece of paper with her right hand.

"Looking at the picture, he looks like he's watching the egg." Natsume stated, watching Yuri finish her picture.

"Your right!" Yuri exclaimed, thinking more closely at how he was then.

"Right hand holding a rice paddle..." Natsume trailed off, examining the picture when something else got his attention.

Each of the girls have the same ruby ring.

It seems Sudo gave the same kind of ring to them.

Even if a person like this is killed, no one would pity him.

"Can I ask, Koume, at that time, did Sudo hold the rice paddle tightly?" Natsume asked watching Koume.

"Yeah. It was very tight. The egg was held tightly too." She answered.

"Oh? Is that so..." Natsume said with a knowing nod.

"Is it that you know something?" Koume asked.

"Yeah. Of course, I know the murderer already." All three girls looked at him, sweat forming on their foreheads.

"You know who the murder is?" Yuri asked, watching him.

"Yeah."

"You only heard what we said just now and you already figured out the murderer?" Yuri asked, amazed.

"Why did he die in this position? That is the main mystery of the case."

"Since the deceased was holding the egg and rice paddle so tightly, it couldn't have been that the murderer put it in his hands. For some reason, Sudo held these two items himself." Natsume noted.

"What do you mean?" Yuri asked, listening intently on what Natsume is saying.

"Because Sudo was stabbed in the front, he could clearly see who killed him. Even though the murderer rushed away quickly, but Sudo hasn't died yet."

"He thought hard on how to tell others who the murderer was. Before he lost consciousness, he held onto an egg and a rice paddle, which means that these 2 things left us a dying message."

"Dying message?" Yuri asked as she looked at the picture she drew.

"Then does the murderer love cooking?" Koume asked, glaring at Sakurako.

"What are you talking about? What reason do I have to kill coach?" Sakurako quickly defended.

"He did that maybe because he wanted to point out Koume who only knows how to fry eggs." Yuri commented as she watched Koume.

"Quit joking! Why would it be me? Couldn't it be that he was pointing out Yuri who is allergic to eggs? I already thought it was weird. Yuri, explain now why you didn't buy the potatoes. Were you pretending to go buy them and then sneaking back in to kill him–"

"That's not it." Natsume cut in quickly.

"You guys all thought it wrong. The dying message is much more direct, not as complicated as you guys think." Natsume explained.

"As long as you observe the picture, he clearly showed a specific thing."

"Clearly showed a specific thing? You mean his position?" Koume asked.

"Thats right. This position is a tennis player that you all know. Think closely, doesn't an egg and a rice paddle look like something related to tennis?" Natsume questioned a small smirk playing on his lips.

"What? Something that's related to tennis?" Yuri asked thoughtfully.

"It has nothing to do with cooking?" Sakurako asked confusingly.

"Not even a little. Think a little closer. A round thing and a spoon shaped thing..."

Koume snapped her fingers.

"I got it! A tennis ball and a tennis racket!" Koume answered triumphantly.

"Bingo, you got it right. The egg is a tennis ball and the rice paddle is the tennis racket." Natsume explained showing the position of Sudo.

"So that's what it is. I didn't know if you didn't tell me." Yuri said.

"But we all have our own tennis set, if he does that then how can he point out the murderer?" Koume pointed out, her hands on her hips.

"But he really did show something." Natsume smiked again.

"Look again at the position Sudo was in." Natsume instructed.

"Oh! I finally get it! This position is when you serve!" Yuri exclaimed.

"And now look at which hand he holds the ball and which hand holds the racket." Natsume instructed again, getting to the point.

"His left hand holds the racket, his right hand holds the egg. That means..." Sakurako answered. Everyone looked at each other.

"This person is left handed." Koume exclaimed finally getting the idea.

"Thats right. Sudo was imitating a left handed person serving." The girls's eyes were wide.

"Also, I remember on the poster he holds the racket with his right hand. Then, why would he use the left hand to hold the racket? Because he wants to use this method to tell us that the murderer is a left handed person. That is his dying message."

Everyone stood up wanting to know exactly who the murderer was.

"Koume lit her cigarette with her right hand so she's right handed. Just now, Yuri drew the picture with her right hand, so she's also right handed."

Natsume's eyes wandered towards "However, Sakurako wore her watch on her left hand. That means she is left handed."

Sakurako unconsciously covered the watch on her hand.

"You. Your the murderer, Sakurako." Natsume walked towards her.

His eyes showed no emotion and his voice was cold.

Sakurako bit on her lip.

"Sakurako?" Yuri and Koume said in sync, not believing.

Sakurako kneeled on the floor.

"In that case...we don't have to call his spirit anymore, right?" Sakurako asked in defeat.

"Then...it was really you?" Yuri asked, her forehead ceased.

Tears were forming in her eyes.

"Why did you kill him!?" Koume angrily shouted.

"_Why_? You said you really liked him!" Koume ran to Sakurako and held her shoulders.

"I never liked him! It's just that...Yuri and Koume both like him, I don't want to be the only one different so I said I like him." Sakurako cired.

"What?" Yuri asked, amazed.

"Every time you two talk about him you two would be so happy. When you guys are happy I would be too. But–" Sakurako buried her face in her hands.

"But _he_ ruined our friendship! He was the one who brought our friendship to the verge of destruction!" Sakurako screamed as her tears fell uncontrollably.

Sakurako stood up and walked towards the windows.

The rain still pouring hard outside.

"That day, after I bought the meat, someone let me ride in their car so I got here much faster than both of you. At the time I was feeling very happy so I prepared to cook curry."

* * *

_Sakurako hummed lightly as she peeled the skin of the onions. _

_Suddenly a pair of hands settled on her shoulders. _

_Sakurako squealed a little, looking to see who it was. _

_"The relationship between you three are really good. I really don't want you girls to get into a fight because of me." Sudo leaned in closer._

_"That's why I gave three precious rings to you guys." He lifted her hand up and held it in his._

_"But actually I only wanted to give it to you." He chuckled lightly._

_"You're lying." Sakurako said as she smiled a little._

_"Why would I? It's true. Why would I be lying?" He smirked and then turned her around so she was facing him._

_"Finally it's only the two of us." A smirk still played on his lips and he brought her closer. _

_His face leaned in closer and the word 'kiss' drifted past her mind. _

_She quickly pushed him away. _

_The smirk on his lips quickly disappeared. _

_"What are you doing Sakurako?" Sudo asked as a smirk reappeared._

_"I know." Sakurako said, her hands clenched._

_"Know what?"_

_"You would say the same thing in front of them too don't you?" She demanded._

_"No, I wouldn't do that." Sudo defended himself._

_"Don't think your really that popular." Sakurako said, her stare hardening. _

_Sudo scoffed._

_"We three are very good since we were little, but your treating our feelings for you as a joke." _

_"Why would I? I've always been serious about you." He attempted to hug her. _

_Her hand searched for something, anything, to defend herself. She reached for the cooking knife and stabbed him, right where his heart is._

_He stumbled back a few steps. _

_His hand covering the blood that was now oozing out of his wound. _

_Sakurako's eyes widened. _

_She didn't know what to do. _

_She dropped the knife and bolted out of the door._

* * *

"The rest is exactly how you said it." Sakurako murmured as her eyes brimmed with tears.

She buried her head in her hands and started to cry.

"Actually...I never liked him either." Koume said, standing up and hugging Sakurako.

"It's just that both you and Yuri have such good grades...and I got a little jealous. I thought that I could win her if I got coach to like me."

"Yes, I never liked him either. All the boys like you two but no one ever asked me out, so I felt jealous. So I wanted coach to like me, and win you guys just once." Yuri said and hugged both of them.

The three of them embraced and bawled.

Natsume stared at them, dumbfounded by their reasons of liking that guy.

Sweat-dropping, he tried sneaking away.

"Oi." The girls called.

Turning around slowly, he saw the three girls standing in front of him.

"Thank you. It's because of you our friendship is as good as it was before." Koume said smiling.

"Although we can't do much, we can still do something to thank you."

"Uh...no thanks. Oh also Sakurako, you should turn yourself in. Okay?" Sakurako nodded, smiling at him.

They each held a handkerchief.

They held the handkerchief under their mouth and then started laughing.

* * *

Natsume started walking back, still holding the backs of drinks.

"Seriously, I just don't understand the friendship of girls."

"Natsume!" Mikan yelled running towards him.

Ruka and the others were with her too, including Jinno.

"Where were you!?" Mikan screamed.

"I was just at the mansion sheltering from the rain. It was pouring rain." Natsume said.

"Rain?" Ruka asked, puzzled.

"It wasn't raining here at all."

Natsume looked surprised.

"What?" He asked looking at the sky.

It was true.

The sky looked very clear and had no sign of raining.

"The weather was always very good here. See? Your clothes aren't wet either." Mikan stated.

Natsume looked at his clothes incredulously.

Jinno looked nervous.

"The mansion you were just talking about...It isn't the one at the bottom of the hill, right?"

"It is. If you don't believe me go ask the three girls that live there. It really was raining. " Natsume stated, looking at the spot where the mansion was.

"But...there _is _no mansion and it's impossible for there to be people." Jinno uttered.

Natsume looked at him alarmed.

"I remember that it was summer last year, about this time. Because of the heavy rain, there was a rock slide and buried one of the mansions. 4 of the people that came here for vacation were also buried. When they were dug out, they were already all dead. According to the local police, the male victim was already killed by a knife before the rock slide. I was there when it happened, and we all know that one of the girls was the murderer. However, since they're all dead, the truth was also buried with them." Jinno explained.

Jinno led them to where the rock slide occurred.

Dropping all of the bags in shock, Natsume stared at the pile of rubble, with a few wood sticking out here and there.

"What's wrong Natsume? You look really pale." Mikan asked, standing next to him.

"Hm? What happened to your sandals?" She asked.

Natsume looked at his feet and indeed, the sandal that broke was all fixed.

However, what gave him a shiver was that the thing tying the strings of his sandals together were the three handkerchief the ladies were holding.

_"Thank you. It's because of you our friendship is as good as it was before." Koume said smiling. _

_"Although we can't do much, we can still do something to thank you."_

Natsume stumbled back, horrified.

The image of the girls laughing replayed in his mind.

* * *

**Yep. A creepy one-shot. Please R&R!**


End file.
